Meet the Educator: Jak Martin

5 min read

Meet the Educator: Jak Martin – Championing Inclusivity Through Opportunity

Welcome back to Meet the Educator – our monthly spotlight series where we share the real stories, insights, and everyday brilliance of educators across the country.

In this edition, we’re thrilled to introduce you to Jak Martin, Head of the GLF Schools’ Foundation. Jak’s journey from being a cricketer to leading a foundation dedicated to equitable access for all children is truly inspiring, driven by a profound personal experience.

Let’s step up to the crease.

A life-changing pivot to purpose

As the head of the GLF Schools’ Foundation, Jak’s role centres around ensuring that every child in the trust has access to opportunities, whether that’s financially or through enriching experiences, about which Jak says: “Essentially, we aim to knock down the socioeconomic barriers that prevent kids from participating in activities that can profoundly benefit their development.”

What inspired Jak to step into education?

While some educators leave school certain that teaching is their calling, Jak’s path into education took a very different turn.

“My journey into education was quite unexpected. I came back from playing cricket in Australia and went back to my old school, not really knowing what was next. They offered me a teaching assistant job with a pathway to becoming a PE teacher, which I took. I worked my way up, becoming Head of PE and Director of Sport.”

“However, life took a dramatic turn when I woke up one day paralysed for a few months. That experience completely reshaped my perspective. Before, my focus was very elite – all about winning and being the best. But experiencing a disability showed me that school, and sport, wasn’t just about that. It changed my perception of education’s true purpose.”

With his renewed view on education, Jak shared what it’s all about.

“It’s about inclusivity and ensuring opportunities for everyone, not just the high-achievers. That’s when with the CEO at the time we decided to create a fund for kids on Pupil Premium and free school meals, initially for sport, which has now spiralled to include music, art, drama, and anything extracurricular that costs money.”

Overcoming barriers through extracurriculars

Too often, children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds leave education without the essential life skills needed to thrive—whether it’s communicating effectively, building confidence, or navigating real-world challenges. Acknowledging this, Jak shared some of the specific aspects of physical activity and sport that he believes are particularly crucial for overcoming socio-economic barriers for young people.

“These activities foster communication, teamwork, resilience, and problem-solving – all crucial skills for employment later in life. Additionally, the role models you gain, whether older teammates or adults, provide aspirations that many kids from deprived backgrounds might not have at home. It shows them what’s achievable, even if they have no money, and that they can be ‘somebody’ and achieve something.”

Goals and priorities: A sustainable future for all

When asked what success looks like for the foundation, Jak shared a vision rooted in inclusivity and impact across every school in the trust.

“For the foundation, our ultimate goal is for every single child across all 43 of our schools to benefit from it, whether financially or through an experience. With over 19,000 students, it’s a huge undertaking, especially considering the financial commitment needed to support all applications. Personally, when we reach that stage, it will be a true success.

“In the short term, our focus is on ensuring the foundation’s sustainability and solidifying its respected position. We also want to ensure it’s fully embedded across all our schools, even those with lower pupil premium numbers, because every child deserves support.”

Bridging the gap

Speaking of every child needing support, there are over 4,000 disadvantaged students within GLF schools – on this, Jak shares some of the biggest challenges faced in securing the necessary funding and partnerships to support them.

“The biggest challenge is finding people whose passion aligns with ours. There are many good charities and generous individuals already giving, but it’s about reaching the right people who truly understand and connect with our cause.”

“We have a vast network of families across our schools, and we’re always looking to engage with communities and corporate social responsibility initiatives. The charity landscape can be siloed, and knowing the right people to partner with who want to be in our schools is a constant struggle.”

It’s not all cricket bats and tennis rackets…

Jak explains how technology plays a vital role behind the scenes in making support more accessible and efficient.

“From the foundation’s perspective, technology is crucial for our operations. All our grant applications are online, making the process streamlined and accessible to everyone, even from their phones. This allows us to easily manage applications and feedback.”

Looking ahead: equity for all

We’re a quarter of the way through the 21st century; the future is happening to us as you read—but we wanted to know what Jak thought of the direction education needs to take to truly level the playing field.

“I believe the future of education in the UK needs to focus on equity. Every school should have the exact same offering. Children shouldn’t be dictated by a ‘postcode lottery‘ when it comes to the education, opportunities, and experiences they receive.”

Fairness at the heart of education

As we near the end of the chat with Jak, the big question that every Meet the Educator subject gets thrown is asked.
If Jak had a magic wand to solve one problem in education, the problem he’d solve is:

“Equity!”

“I would have every school offer exactly the same, ensuring that a child’s postcode doesn’t dictate their education, opportunities, or experiences. If every school had the same standard of education and extracurricular provision, there would be a level playing field for everyone to grow up and be whoever they want to be.”


Want to support the GLF Foundation?

To learn more about the GLF Schools’ Foundation and support their vital work, you can click here to visit their website and check out their donation options.


Want to participate in Meet the Educator?
Click here to nominate yourself or another educator you know to be put in the spotlight.

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Meet the Educator: Jak Martin – Championing Inclusivity Through Opportunity

Welcome back to Meet the Educator – our monthly spotlight series where we share the real stories, insights, and everyday brilliance of educators across the country.

In this edition, we’re thrilled to introduce you to Jak Martin, Head of the GLF Schools’ Foundation. Jak’s journey from being a cricketer to leading a foundation dedicated to equitable access for all children is truly inspiring, driven by a profound personal experience.

Let’s step up to the crease.

A life-changing pivot to purpose

As the head of the GLF Schools’ Foundation, Jak’s role centres around ensuring that every child in the trust has access to opportunities, whether that’s financially or through enriching experiences, about which Jak says: “Essentially, we aim to knock down the socioeconomic barriers that prevent kids from participating in activities that can profoundly benefit their development.”

What inspired Jak to step into education?

While some educators leave school certain that teaching is their calling, Jak’s path into education took a very different turn.

“My journey into education was quite unexpected. I came back from playing cricket in Australia and went back to my old school, not really knowing what was next. They offered me a teaching assistant job with a pathway to becoming a PE teacher, which I took. I worked my way up, becoming Head of PE and Director of Sport.”

“However, life took a dramatic turn when I woke up one day paralysed for a few months. That experience completely reshaped my perspective. Before, my focus was very elite – all about winning and being the best. But experiencing a disability showed me that school, and sport, wasn’t just about that. It changed my perception of education’s true purpose.”

With his renewed view on education, Jak shared what it’s all about.

“It’s about inclusivity and ensuring opportunities for everyone, not just the high-achievers. That’s when with the CEO at the time we decided to create a fund for kids on Pupil Premium and free school meals, initially for sport, which has now spiralled to include music, art, drama, and anything extracurricular that costs money.”

Overcoming barriers through extracurriculars

Too often, children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds leave education without the essential life skills needed to thrive—whether it’s communicating effectively, building confidence, or navigating real-world challenges. Acknowledging this, Jak shared some of the specific aspects of physical activity and sport that he believes are particularly crucial for overcoming socio-economic barriers for young people.

“These activities foster communication, teamwork, resilience, and problem-solving – all crucial skills for employment later in life. Additionally, the role models you gain, whether older teammates or adults, provide aspirations that many kids from deprived backgrounds might not have at home. It shows them what’s achievable, even if they have no money, and that they can be ‘somebody’ and achieve something.”

Goals and priorities: A sustainable future for all

When asked what success looks like for the foundation, Jak shared a vision rooted in inclusivity and impact across every school in the trust.

“For the foundation, our ultimate goal is for every single child across all 43 of our schools to benefit from it, whether financially or through an experience. With over 19,000 students, it’s a huge undertaking, especially considering the financial commitment needed to support all applications. Personally, when we reach that stage, it will be a true success.

“In the short term, our focus is on ensuring the foundation’s sustainability and solidifying its respected position. We also want to ensure it’s fully embedded across all our schools, even those with lower pupil premium numbers, because every child deserves support.”

Bridging the gap

Speaking of every child needing support, there are over 4,000 disadvantaged students within GLF schools – on this, Jak shares some of the biggest challenges faced in securing the necessary funding and partnerships to support them.

“The biggest challenge is finding people whose passion aligns with ours. There are many good charities and generous individuals already giving, but it’s about reaching the right people who truly understand and connect with our cause.”

“We have a vast network of families across our schools, and we’re always looking to engage with communities and corporate social responsibility initiatives. The charity landscape can be siloed, and knowing the right people to partner with who want to be in our schools is a constant struggle.”

It’s not all cricket bats and tennis rackets…

Jak explains how technology plays a vital role behind the scenes in making support more accessible and efficient.

“From the foundation’s perspective, technology is crucial for our operations. All our grant applications are online, making the process streamlined and accessible to everyone, even from their phones. This allows us to easily manage applications and feedback.”

Looking ahead: equity for all

We’re a quarter of the way through the 21st century; the future is happening to us as you read—but we wanted to know what Jak thought of the direction education needs to take to truly level the playing field.

“I believe the future of education in the UK needs to focus on equity. Every school should have the exact same offering. Children shouldn’t be dictated by a ‘postcode lottery‘ when it comes to the education, opportunities, and experiences they receive.”

Fairness at the heart of education

As we near the end of the chat with Jak, the big question that every Meet the Educator subject gets thrown is asked.
If Jak had a magic wand to solve one problem in education, the problem he’d solve is:

“Equity!”

“I would have every school offer exactly the same, ensuring that a child’s postcode doesn’t dictate their education, opportunities, or experiences. If every school had the same standard of education and extracurricular provision, there would be a level playing field for everyone to grow up and be whoever they want to be.”


Want to support the GLF Foundation?

To learn more about the GLF Schools’ Foundation and support their vital work, you can click here to visit their website and check out their donation options.


Want to participate in Meet the Educator?
Click here to nominate yourself or another educator you know to be put in the spotlight.

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